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Vision/Mission Prevention Week |
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Snakes
A little about the Northern Copperhead The northern copperhead is reddish brown in color with a series of darker
hourglass markings down its back. The markings are narrow on the back and
broad on the sides; bands across the backs of other snakes in West Virginia
are broad on the back and narrow on the sides. Its pupil is black and elliptical
against an orange background. The eye of the milk snake, a snake sometimes
confused for a copperhead, also has an orange background but the pupil
is round. These snakes prefer rocky, wooded areas.
What happens if I am bitten? A noticeable bite on the skin which may appear as a discolored area with two (occasionally only one) puncture marks. The symptoms reported after a copperhead bite can include: pain and swelling in the area of the bite. (Swelling may take several hours to develop.) The severity of the signs and symptoms developed after a bite varies with the amount of venom injected, size of the snake, age and size of the victim, prior health status of the victim, location of the bite, and the bacteria present in the snakes mouth. The poison center should be contacted as soon as a suspected bite occurs. What can I do if I am bitten? Improper first aid attempts can actually make a snake bite worse. The
following are appropriate first aid measures. Stay calm, get safely
away from the snake. Contact emergency services and have the victim transported
to a medical facility as soon as possible. The less the victim moves the
bite site the less likely the venom will be profused and cause damage.
Keep the limb immobilized. Wash the bite with soap and water. Treat for
shock and preserve body heat. Remove any rings, bracelets, boots, or other
restricting items from the bitten extremity.
 A little about the Timber Rattlesnake The timber rattler can be distinguished from other snakes in West Virginia in that it is the only one with a segmented rattle at the end of its tail. There are two color phases with this snake, the yellow phase and the black phase. In the yellow phase there is a ground of yellow, gray or brown. There are also black or dark brown crossbands. These crossbands break up as you look down the body to become a row of dark markings down the back, with also a row on each side of the body. In the black phase there is usually black or dark brown covering most of the pattern. These snakes prefer rocky, mountainous areas. Rattlesnakes do not always rattle before they strike, therefore, visual identification is required to rule in or out a rattlesnake bite. What happens if I am bitten? Two (or sometimes only one) fang marks may be seen. Symptoms can include: pain, swelling, weakness, sweating and/or chills, nausea, and vomiting. Symptoms may progress over several hours. The severity of the signs and symptoms developed after a bite varies with the amount of venom injected, size of the snake, age and size of the victim, prior health status of the victim, location of the bite, and the bacteria present in the snakes mouth. The poison center should be contacted as soon as a suspected bite occurs What can I do if I am bitten? Improper first aid attempts can actually make a snake bite worse. The following are appropriate first aid measures: Stay calm, get safely away from the snake. Contact emergency services and have the victim transported to a medical facility as soon as possible. The less the victim moves the bitten site the less likely the venom will be profused and cause damage. Keep the limb immobilized. Wash the bite with soap and water. Treat for shock and preserve body heat. Remove any rings, bracelets, boots, or other restricting items from the bitten extremity. |
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